Air mattress and arrangement of air mattresses

ABSTRACT

An air mattress with at least one cavity to be filled with air, which is bounded by a sitting and reclining surface, a bottom surface disposed opposite the sitting and reclining surface, and a peripheral side surface connecting the sitting and reclining surface and the bottom surface. Magnets, each incorporated in separate chambers, are arranged on the side surface on the sitting or reclining surface and on the bottom surface for the connection of air mattresses of the same design.

This nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) to German Patent Application No. 10 2015 008 076.8, which was filed in Germany on Jun. 26, 2015, and which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an air mattress and an arrangement of air mattresses.

Description of the Background Art

In the prior art, air mattresses are known that can be used as sitting and/or reclining surfaces when inflated. If the air is let out of such an air mattress, the volume is greatly reduced compared to the inflated state, so that the air mattress is then easily transportable. Inflatable mattresses are used, for example, as flotation devices.

From DE 10 2012 217 422 B3, an air mattress is known which has a surface as a sitting or reclining surface, a bottom surface opposite said sitting or reclining surface, and side surfaces which define a cavity for filling with air.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved air mattress and an improved arrangement of air mattresses.

In an exemplary embodiment, an air mattress is provided that has at least one cavity to be filled with air, which is bounded by a sitting and reclining surface, a bottom surface disposed opposite the sitting and reclining surface, and a peripheral side surface connecting the sitting or reclining surface and the bottom surface. According to an embodiment of the invention, magnets for the connection of air mattresses of the same design, each incorporated in separate chambers, are arranged on the side surface, on the sitting or reclining surface and on the bottom surface. Each magnet can be a permanent magnet.

The air mattress can thus be magnetically connected in a simple manner with an air mattress of the same design. This magnetic connection is easily released by manually overcoming a magnetic force.

Due to the fact that magnets are arranged on both the topside sitting and reclining surface and on the underside bottom surface, it is possible to arrange two or more inventive air mattresses, for example, filled with air, above each other and magnetically fastened to each other.

Due to the fact that magnets are arranged on the peripheral side surface, magnets are located on several partial faces of this side surface. Thereby, it is possible to arrange two or more inventive air mattresses, for example, filled with air, next to one another, and to magnetically secure them together. In this way, a randomly large total area of a solid, but easily releasable, grouping of several air mattresses next to each other can be produced.

An embodiment of the air mattress according to the invention provides that empty chambers can be arranged to ensure distances between the separated chambers in which the magnets are incorporated. A predetermined spacing, in particular an equidistant spacing, is thus particularly easy to predetermine, by means of which a universal, particularly simple and highly secure magnetic connection between multiple air mattresses can be produced.

A further embodiment of the air mattress of the invention provides that the strength of the magnets and the particular equidistant spacing of the chambers to the magnets vary depending on the size of the air mattress. Preferably, particularly strong magnets are used for large air mattresses, whereby a particularly easy and particularly secure magnetic connection between multiple air mattresses can be produced.

A further embodiment of the air mattress of the invention provides that the side surface has four partial faces. Particularly preferably, the air mattress is essentially cuboid, whereby an arbitrarily large total area of a solid, but easily releasable grouping of several air mattresses side by side is produced in a particularly simple manner. The grouping of several air mattresses can be performed without offset, that is, corresponding partial faces are arranged flush next to each other and are magnetically connected to each other. Alternatively or additionally, the sitting and reclining surface is stacked flush with the bottom surface of a corresponding air mattress and is magnetically connected thereto.

The grouping of several air mattresses can also be done with an offset formation, that is, corresponding partial faces are placed side by side in an offset manner and magnetically connected to each other. Alternatively or additionally, the sitting and reclining surface is arranged stacked in an offset manner with the bottom surface of a corresponding air mattress and magnetically connected thereto.

A further embodiment of the air mattress of the invention provides that the chambers have a slightly larger volume than the magnets. In particular, a slightly larger volume is considered to be such a volume, which makes it possible for the magnet to move, in particular turn, in its chamber in such a way that it can change its magnetic field direction as desired, in particular by 180°. This makes it possible in a simple manner that the magnet directs its magnetic field direction in such a way on a corresponding magnet of another air mattress, that an attractive force is established to this magnet and a magnetic connection of these air mattresses to one another is effected. This makes it possible that regardless of the alignment of the air mattresses, a force of attraction is established between any magnets of two air mattresses.

It is also possible to arrange the magnets respectively in their chamber in such a way, that the respective magnet is not able to move in the chamber, in particular, rotate. The magnets of each respective side of the mattress, relative to their magnetic direction, are thereby aligned such, that at a predetermined alignment of the mutually corresponding sides, each corresponding magnet of a corresponding side of a corresponding air mattress is in each case attracted and not rejected.

A further embodiment of the air mattress of the invention provides that the magnets can have a casing. This easily avoids or reduces damage to any fabric surrounding the magnet.

An embodiment of the air mattress according to an embodiment provides that a first plurality of magnets is positioned and fixed in the sitting and reclining surface, and that a second plurality of magnets is arranged and fixed to the bottom surface, wherein the position of the first plurality corresponds to the position of the second plurality and wherein a north pole of a magnet of the first plurality corresponds to a south pole of a corresponding magnet of the second plurality so that air mattresses of the same design can be arranged flush above one another and are magnetically attractive and fixable to one another without the need for an automatic alignment of the magnets.

Another embodiment of the inventive air mattress provides that a third plurality of magnets is positioned and fixed in a first partial face of the side surface and that a fourth plurality of magnets is positioned and fixed at a second partial face of the side surface opposite the first partial face, wherein the position of the third plurality corresponds to the position of the fourth plurality and wherein a north pole of a magnet of the third plurality corresponds to a south pole of a corresponding magnet of the fourth plurality, so that air mattresses of the same design can be arranged flush next to each other and fixed together in a magnetically attractive manner without an automatic alignment of the magnets being required.

An embodiment of the inventive air mattress according to an embodiment provides that a first plurality of magnets is disposed in the sitting and reclining surface, and that a second plurality of magnets is disposed on the bottom surface, wherein the position of the first plurality corresponds to the location of the second plurality and wherein the chambers are adapted to the size of each accommodated magnet such, that a magnet can move freely in its chamber and align in such a way that a magnetic and flush connection of superimposed air mattresses of the same design is possible. This allows for an automatic alignment of the magnets so that a particular top or bottom of an air mattress can be magnetically connected with any lower or upper side of a corresponding air mattress with any alignment of the two corresponding sides.

An embodiment of the inventive air mattress according to an embodiment that a third plurality of magnets is disposed in a first partial face of the side surface, and that a fourth plurality of magnets is arranged and fixed on a second partial face of the side surface disposed opposite the first partial face, wherein the position of the third plurality corresponds to the position of the fourth plurality, and wherein the chambers are adapted to the size of each accommodated magnet in such a way that a magnet can move freely in its chamber and can align such, that a magnetic and preferably flush connection of air mattresses of the same design is possible side by side, independent of an alignment of the corresponding sides.

An arrangement comprises a plurality of air mattresses. According to the invention, it relates to a plurality of air mattresses as described above, i.e., inventive air mattresses. The air mattresses are arranged side by side and/or are superposed on each other and are magnetically connected to each other. In this way, an island-like field of any strength for a water surface can be formed. A grouping is preferably made up of two single air mattresses, which can be used simultaneously by two people.

Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes, combinations, and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein the sole figure is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an air mattress according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The air mattress shown in the figure is substantially cuboid and has a cavity 2 which can be filled with air via an inlet opening 9. If the cavity 2 is sufficiently filled with air, the inlet opening 9 can be sealed airtight.

The cavity 2 is upper-bounded by a sitting and reclining surface 3, on the lower side by the bottom surface 4 arranged opposite the sitting and reclining surface 3, and by a peripheral side surface 5 linking the sitting and reclining surface 3 and the bottom surface 4. The side surface 5 has four partial faces.

On all four partial faces of the side surface 5, a chamber grouping is arranged in each case. Each chamber grouping comprises alternately arranged chambers 7 and empty chambers 8. Each chamber 7 contains a magnet designed as a permanent magnet 6.

In this way, a partial face of an identical, not further shown air mattress 1 can be laid flush to one of the two partial faces shown here, such, that the corresponding partial faces of two air mattresses 1 automatically magnetically connect with each other. In particular, it is possible that the corresponding partial faces completely overlap, forming a magnetic connection.

A chamber grouping is also arranged at the sitting and reclining surface 3, wherein here, too, each chamber grouping includes alternately arranged chambers 7 and empty chambers 8, wherein a magnet 6 designed as a permanent magnet is situated in each chamber 7.

A chamber grouping is also arranged on the bottom surface 4, which contains alternately arranged chambers 7 and empty chambers 8, albeit not shown here, wherein in each chamber 7, there is a magnet 6 designed as a permanent magnet, also not shown. The position of these magnets 6 of the bottom surface 4 corresponds to the position of the magnets 6 of the sitting and reclining surface 3. The alignment of the respective magnetic fields of the magnets 6 of the bottom surface 4 is in reverse alignment to the respective magnetic fields of the magnets 6 of the sitting and reclining surface 3. Thus, a bottom surface 4 of an identical, not shown further air mattress 1 can be laid flush to the sitting and reclining surface 3 shown here in such a way, that the surfaces 4, 3 completely overlap and automatically magnetically connect to one another.

The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An air mattress comprising: at least one cavity to be filled with air, which is bounded by a sitting and reclining surface, a bottom surface disposed opposite to the sitting and reclining surface, and a peripheral side surface connecting the sitting and reclining surface and the bottom surface; and magnets arranged on the side surface, on the sitting or reclining surface, and on the bottom surface, the magnets being incorporated in separate chambers and are arranged for the connection of air mattresses of the same design.
 2. The air mattress according to claim 1, wherein to ensure distances between the separated chambers into which the magnets are incorporated, empty chambers are arranged.
 3. The air mattress according to claim 1, wherein the strength of the magnets and the distances between the chambers and the magnets vary depending on the size of the air mattress.
 4. The air mattress according to claim 1, wherein the side surface has four partial faces.
 5. The air mattress according to claim 1, wherein the chambers have a slightly greater volume than the magnets.
 6. The air mattress according to claim 1, wherein the magnets have a casing.
 7. The air mattress according to claim 1, wherein a first plurality of magnets is arranged and fixed in the sitting and reclining surface, and wherein a second plurality of magnets is arranged and fixed on the bottom surface, and wherein the position of the first plurality of magnets corresponds to the position of the second plurality of magnets, and wherein a north pole of a magnet of the first plurality of magnets corresponds to a south pole of a corresponding magnet of the second plurality of magnets such that the air mattress of the same design is adapted to be laid flush one above the other and fixed to each other magnetically.
 8. The air mattress according to claim 7, wherein a third plurality of magnets is arranged and fixed in a first partial face of the side surface, wherein a fourth plurality of magnets is arranged and fixed on a second partial face of the side surface situated opposite the first partial face, wherein the position of the third plurality corresponds to the position of the fourth plurality, and wherein a north pole of a magnet of the first plurality of magnets corresponds to a south pole of a corresponding magnet of the second plurality of magnets so that air mattresses of the same design are adapted to be laid flush side by side and fixed to each other magnetically.
 9. The air mattress according to claim 1, wherein a first plurality of magnets is arranged in the seating and reclining surface, wherein a second plurality of magnets is arranged on the bottom surface, wherein the position of the first plurality of magnets corresponds to the position of the second plurality of magnets, wherein the chambers are adapted such to the size of the included respective magnet, wherein a magnet in its chamber is movable freely and aligned such that a non-repellent, magnetic and flush connection of air mattresses of the same design are superimposed.
 10. The air mattress according to claim 9, wherein a third plurality of magnets is arranged in a first partial face of the side surface, wherein a fourth plurality of magnets is disposed on the second partial face of the side surface opposite the first partial face, wherein the position of the third plurality of magnets corresponds to the position of the fourth plurality of magnets, wherein the chambers are adapted such to the size of the included respective magnet, wherein a magnetic is movable freely in its chamber and aligned such that a non-repellent, magnetic and flush connection of air mattresses of the same design is formed side by side.
 11. An arrangement of a plurality of air mattresses according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of air mattresses are magnetically connected next to one another and/or above one another. 